Joshua Martin is from Makaha on the island of Oahu. He graduated Kamehameha Schools in 2000, where he was all-state in football and baseball. After high school Joshua moved to San Diego, California where he attends the University of San Diego. Joshua was an Akamai intern in 2004 and he worked with Trex Enterprises. After graduating from USD with a degree in Electrical Engineering this May, Josh plans to move back home to Oahu and get a job in his field.

Home Island: Oahu
High School: Kamehameha Schools
Institution when accepted: University of San Diego

Akamai Project: Deformable Mirror High Voltage Power Supply Remote Control and High Voltage Amplifier Card Test Set Up
Project Site: Trex
Mentor: Rusty Hughes and Carl Nakamoto

Project Abstract:

Adaptive Optics (AO) is used to correct for the “blurriness” caused by atmospheric turbulence. The Advanced Electric Optical System (AEOS) telescope located atop Haleakala has one of the world’s most advanced AO systems. The heart of the AO system is a deformable mirror (DM). The DM is controlled by 941 actuators, which bend the mirror, in real time, to help correct the distorted images. Two high voltage power supplies drive these actuators. Currently the power supplies are controlled locally, by simply turning two knobs until the desired voltage levels are met, however, it would be optimal if these power supplies could be remotely controlled and monitored using a PERP control system. The power supplies malfunctioned twice, because it was drawing too much current. Modifications need to be made to the power supplies to function at its optimal level. Schottky diodes will be used to protect against the current overflow. Another component of the AO system is the High Voltage Amplifier Cards (HVA Cards). Each HVA card drives eight actuators on the DM. The HVA cards need to be calibrated and tested from time to time and the existing test set up is insufficient. A new test set up was designed using a CPLD Xilinx Programmable Logic Device to send commands to the HVA cards, and high power resistors to measure the current at the output. The test setup that currently exists is a static test and it does not serve much purpose. It is used only for calibration purposes, but the new, dynamic test setup will test the boards’ efficiency and specifications.